Opinion: Intermodal transit hub needed for passengers, too

Earlier this year, the first phase of Canadian Pacific Railway’s intermodal rail-truck facility opened on the southern edge of Edmonton. This hub, estimated in 2007 to cost $65 million, was planned in conjunction with the $205-million 41st Avenue SW interchange now under construction. It will become a key location for the shipment of goods between Edmonton and elsewhere. As city council prepares to consider a rezoning for a new Greyhound depot, it’s worth asking whether transportation for passengers shouldn’t also require the same foresight that was applied to the movement of goods.

Greyhound is looking at its maintenance garage site, at 12521 123rd St., as the possible new location for its bus depot in Edmonton. Manish Shirgaokar argues the site is flawed and should only be considered a temporary option.Bruce Edwards / Edmonton Journal/file

Earlier this year, the first phase of Canadian Pacific Railway’s intermodal rail-truck facility opened on the southern edge of Edmonton. This hub, estimated in 2007 to cost $65 million, was planned in conjunction with the $205-million 41st Avenue SW interchange now under construction. It will become a key location for the shipment of goods between Edmonton and elsewhere.

As city council prepares to consider a rezoning for a new Greyhound depot, it’s worth asking whether transportation for passengers shouldn’t also require the same foresight that was applied to the movement of goods.

Construction of the Downtown Arena and Entertainment District means that Greyhound needs to vacate its depot on 103rd Street by May 2016. After discussing a variety of possible sites with the City of Edmonton, Greyhound applied to renovate its existing maintenance facility at 123rd Street and Yellowhead Trail to accommodate passengers. The application goes to council for vote this Monday. Greyhound clearly needs new options for a depot. However, if approving this rezoning is as far as the City of Edmonton goes in facilitating intercity passenger travel, it will be doing its citizens, businesses and visitors a long-term disservice.

The Yellowhead Trail location lacks the attributes expected of a passenger depot, other than vehicular access. There are no sidewalks adjacent to the site. The closest Edmonton Transit stop is more than 500 metres away via a Yellowhead Trail service road, and the stop doesn’t offer direct service downtown except at rush hours. The North LRT when extended past NAIT and Blatchford will be more than a kilometre away. Also, aesthetics in the area are rather poor. It’s hard to believe that visitors to our city might cultivate a healthy impression if this is their introduction to Edmonton. Hence, this location should be considered a temporary option until a better solution can be found.

A better solution would consist of a passenger hub bringing together a variety of transportation choices within walking distance of each other. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Portland, Denver and Salt Lake City are examples of cities with such hubs. Calgary’s new Sunalta CTrain station is adjacent to that city’s Greyhound terminal, while the LRT line under construction in Ottawa will connect to Via Rail.

The need for a passenger hub will only increase as Edmonton continues to grow. Bringing services such as intercity bus (Greyhound, Red Arrow and other future entrants), LRT, local bus (Edmonton Transit, St. Albert Transit and Strathcona County Transit), and possibly even Via Rail together in one area would simplify transfers, reduce emissions by bringing down driving to drop off or pick up passengers, provide mobility alternatives to groups without access to an automobile, increase travel choice for residents, and improve convenience for tourists and business travellers alike.

A site in the heart of Edmonton would be ideal. Some might say that such locations are far too valuable for a passenger hub. They would be right in this assertion if such a facility were limited to transportation only. But imagine an intermodal hub that included transit at street level with supportive ancillary services such as ticketing, rest areas, and a food court. Then add, based on the specifics of the surrounding land use, a stack of offices and/or apartments. Combined with new residents and workers, the transportation facility would bring travellers to the area who would in turn support local businesses and gain access to a wide variety of opportunities in the central city.

Properly planned, the hub could be alive, attractive and safe. Ensuring more people could easily access the downtown would increase the viability of the large development investments pouring into Edmonton. Emissions and noise could be mitigated through effective design and by limiting how early or late large buses could arrive or depart.

The Way We Move, Edmonton’s Transportation Master Plan, envisions an “interconnected, multi-modal transportation system.” The pending closure of the existing Greyhound depot gives us an opportunity to apply this vision not only to movement within the city, but also to travel to and from other locations. It is time to stop thinking of bus travel as an option for others, and to provide facilities for effective mobility options for all people.

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